Ripping Seams with a Well-Made Tool

As I’m sure you can tell, I adore all things that are sewing-related. I’ve always loved to sew. And when I became a sewing teacher and started passing along this skill to young people and other adults, my fondness for all aspects of sewing – from fabric to notions to fun projects to tools and machines – became all the stronger. I’m always looking for different sewing items and tools that are both useful and decorative.

Also, when I started my sewing school as a home-based business, I met many other folks who have done something similar: take what they know and love and build a business around it. It has been a great pleasure to network among others whose local businesses help support our families and communities in fundamental ways.

One of my friends, Phil Plummer, helps me with my taxes. He also has a home-based business making pens out of plastic and wood. He showed me a cool seam-ripper he made for his wife and mother-in-law. I was immediately enthralled; I just loved it! One day he gave me one.

There are many benefits to these seam rippers. I find that mine is far superior to the flimsy plastic ones I’ve often found in fabric stores. Phil’s seam ripper is beautiful, and has a heft that feels substantial in the hand. It’s ergonomic and fits well in my palm, giving me a better grip.

It also is double-sided, with one larger seam ripper on one end and a smaller on the other. I find it tremendously helpful to have two different sizes at the tip of my fingers for different applications. One of my favorite features is that I never lose the cap, leaving the seam ripper vulnerable to being broken or damaged. In Phil’s product, the seam ripper portion comes out of the base and nests inside, staying sharp and protected until I need to rip out some misplaced stitches.

The seam rippers can be made in a variety of colors, and each one is made by hand. It also feels good to support a local and home-based business, keeping our dollars right here in Portland. Phil is working on building a web page, but in the mean time you can order one for yourself or your sewing-enthusiast loved one by calling him at 503.432.5622.

Having the right tools makes the work and pleasure of sewing so much easier and more efficient. When you have to tear out stitches that don’t belong where you put them, I know that I prefer to use a lovely and well-made tool.